


Three Minutes

by Slumber



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts Seventh Year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-15
Updated: 2011-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26391979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slumber/pseuds/Slumber
Summary: They have three minutes to steal the Sword of Gryffindor.
Kudos: 1
Collections: 30-minute Writer's Block Challenge





	Three Minutes

**00:03:00**

They didn't have much time, but this was the best shot they had.

"Hurry," Neville whispered, gesturing for Luna and Ginny to slip in. Both girls did, and he looked around one more time before determining that the coast was clear, and then he ducked in after them.

"Three minutes," he said. He crouched in the winding staircase behind the statue and the Headmaster's office, dressed in black robes, face glamored to hide his distinguishing features. Not that it would matter, if they got caught. All it would take was a reversing spell, but that was not his concern right now. "All we have is three minutes."

"Ready?" Ginny asked.

Luna took out the wand she'd had tucked behind her ear and nodded. "Ready."

The staircase grunted, then lurched, winding upward to lead them in. As soon as the door opened, Ginny dropped the pouch of Peruvian Instant Darkness that she'd smuggled in.

" _Go._ "

**00:02:00**

When the light returned, all of the headmaster portraits had been turned to face the walls. 

"What's going on?" someone asked.

"Who's there?" another demanded.

"Where's Severus!"

"Sound the alarms!"

"You won't get away!"

They'd already started to cause a ruckus. Neville wondered how quickly one of them would flee to any one of the portraits in Hogwarts, how fast before Snape heard of the intrusion into his office. He suspected not very long; he didn't want to bet on time they didn't have.

It was incredibly fast work for the amount of time they had in the dark, but they needed to cover their tracks. Neville nodded to Ginny, directing her to a corner of the office. To Luna, he pointed the other way.

He would take the desk.

"Remember," he said, whispering because it would be harder to place his voice that way. "Be careful. Snape might have booby-trapped the place!"

**00:01:00**

The sword, surprisingly enough, wasn't hard to find at all. It was on a glass display case dead front and center, hanging just behind Snape's desk.

The problem, they soon discovered, was taking it _off_ the wall.

"Are you all right?" Luna asked, her hand on Neville's shoulder as she peered at his burnt palms. "I can take care of that for you."

He shook his head, tearing off a swath of cloth from his robes' sleeves and wrapping it around his fists to stem the pain. "We need to get that sword," he said, determination overruling all else. "Can you tell what ward he used?"

**00:00:30**

Luna hesitated, but she cast a spell on the display case, eyes closed as the glowing of her wand battled with the angry red that pulsed from the glass.

"It looks runic," Ginny said, pointing at the faint scratches beneath it. "See?"

**00:00:20**

"What's it say?" Neville asked, squinting. "Merlin, I'm _rubbish_ at Runes!"

"It's not very complicated, actually," Luna said. She walked up closer. "I think I can undo it."

**00:00:10**

"Okay, then you gotta hurry," Neville said, but Luna had already taken her wand and started to trace the countering runes against the case.

"We have eight seconds left," Ginny whispered, urgent, beside him. They shared a fearful look.

**00:00:05**

"There," Luna said with satisfaction. The case lifted.

Neville Summoned the sword. It flew to him, nearly knocking him to the ground, but he held on to it. It was heavy in his hand, and in the light from the window its edge gleamed like the rippling surface of still water.

They'd done it, he marvelled.

Almost.

**00:00:04**

"We need to hide," Ginny whispered, tugging on his sleeve. There was no mistaking the panic in her voice, and belatedly, Neville realized the folly in their plans. They'd planned to get the sword within three minutes, but their plan hadn't included an escape. They would be trapped, unless they found a place to hide.

"Where?" Luna asked.

Neville caught sight of the curtains--he met both girls' gazes and they all nodded.

**00:00:03**

Three pairs of feet hurried. There was a rustling of drapery, a soft thud as they knocked into each other.

"Sorry."

"It's all right, Neville."

**00:00:02**

"Hurry."

"Our feet!" Neville looked down. The curtains didn't reach all the way to their feet, and if Snape searched--

" _Abdum_ ," Luna whispered. She waved her wand over all three of them, concealing their feet from view. It looked odd to him, to see them all without shoes or feet or anything below their knees.

**00:00:01**

They all three held their breaths. Neville clung to the sword with both hands, Luna and Ginny behind him. They could not talk anymore, they could not move.

They could not breathe, and then the door swung open.

**00:00:00**

"What has happened here?" Snape asked, his voice never rising more than a notch. The headmasters, already protesting in various ways, all started talking at once.

"Silence," Snape said, casting a quick spell that muffled all their indignant cries. 

**-00:01:00**

Neville glanced at Luna, then he looked at Ginny. It was so quiet now, so deathly still, and his heart was beating wildly against his chest. His breathing was heavy. Too heavy. Heavy enough that Snape might hear. _Fuck_. 

Ginny squeezed his wrist then, and he turned to look. She pursed her lips, her way, perhaps, of telling him they would be okay. Behind her, Luna smiled. They were far calmer than he was feeling.

They were far braver than he.

He returned the smile, sheepish. He felt somewhat mollified, more comforted by the thought that they were at least feeling more confident than he did.

**-00:02:00**

And then the curtains were drawn wide open, and Snape loomed above them with a distasteful sneer.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

**Author's Note:**

> Please consider donating to local organizations who support trans individuals in your area.


End file.
